All about Matthew

I figure my child deserves a post that focuses on him. Can you believe he is going to be 7 years old in 3 short months? I can't!!

He made it through Kindergarten with flying colors. There were no real fights about needing to go to school every day. And he usually came home with a smile on his face. (Or so I've been told - I wasn't there to see it - work and all.) His imagination is still just as vivid as ever... here he is with one of the creations he has made for me.

Our summer was a great one. He went on vacation with Grandpa and Grandma to the UP and got to fish. From a boat. Out on the water!!! They stayed at a cabin on a lake, taking time to enjoy the quieter way of life that you find in the UP. He took bike rides with me either running or walking behind him. He played T-ball for the first (and only) time. His batting skills and throwing skills are pretty good, even if I do say so myself. And of course... He grew. Boy did he grow! He is now somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 my height. Before I know it my "little boy" is going to be taller than me!

In July we took a road trip to the Wisconsin Dells. We camped for a couple of nights, and spent a day at one of the water parks found there. He got to help set up the tents (we went with a friend who grew up near there), meet new people, swim in a pool, and go down water slides over and over and over and over and over.... You get the idea. Our trip started with a ferry ride across Lake Michigan. It was a chilly day, and really windy out on the top of the ferry, but it was still fun. Dolt that I am, I didn't get any pictures of us ON the ferry. And the ferry ride was nice, because it broke up our trip and gave us some time out of the car. We also broke up our road trip with a stop at my friend's parent's house - and Matthew fell in love with their dogs. Every once in a while he still brings up the trip, especially the part about playing with the dogs.

We also went to our first air show this summer. The Thunder Over Michigan Show at Willow Run was quite a treat. We had my parents, one of my brothers, my grandpa, Matthew and me all there. The picture of Matthew above was taken at the show. He is standing in front of the Blue Angels!!! Grandpa and Grandma bought him a model of one of the planes for him to remember the day by. (Spoiled kid, I know.)

Later in the month we took a trip to Michigan Adventure with my friend and her family (extended family - there must have been 20 of us there if not more). He got to play at the water park there, but also went on rides. He drove me around in a 50's car, rode on Zach's Zoomer, and just had a blast on the motorcycles, cars, and boats. He still talks about the time we spent there, and already has plans for us to go back again next year.

August was a month where Matthew got to spend a lot of quality time with me, and I mean A LOT!! Amazingly enough, we survived the month together. Some might even say that he thrived. I give a lot of credit to stay-at-home Moms. (Or household engineers, as I prefer to call them.) Anyone who can be home with a child, or more impressive: multiple children, day in and day out deserves a medal, a parade, maid service, etc, etc, etc...

We took a trip to the local county fair with my dad and had a great time. Matthew got on all the kiddie rides, and a few of the adult ones as all. I'm slowly working him up to grab the adventurous spirit with both hands. There was only one ride we went on where it was bad... poor guy was huddled into my side crying the whole time to make it stop. He survived, however, and decided that while he didn't like that

ride, there were still others there that he would try. That's my boy!!

September brought us to first grade. He was very excited to see one of his favorite friends from kindergarden in his first grade classroom during move-in night. It has been an experience for him getting up at o-dark-thirty to get ready for school. But he enjoys the bus rides, and he is doing well in his class. He is really starting to read on his own now... and gets frustrated with me when I tell him to try sounding something out rather than me just telling him the word. But... the kid can read!!! Math is the next big concept we will be tackling. Can't wait!

He is going to be a panda bear for Halloween this year. Kung Fu Panda at school, and a regular old panda (under the care of a vet) on Halloween night. I will try to get a recap of our weekend, and pictures of him, up shortly after we flip into November.

I'm back... and ready to roll

Well, once again it has been months since I last posted. I'm horrible, HORRIBLE, I tell you. Although, Matthew has not yet graduated from High School, so I blow raspberries at my friend Karin. ;-)

Have you even bothered to come back and check this page? Have I left you blowing in the breeze not getting updates on Matthew or what I have been up to? (Because, admittedly, Matthew is much more interesting than I, so if you have been checking, it must have been to read about him!)

I used to post a couple of times a month, and send out an email to a list of family and friends to say the update was there for viewing pleasure. What happened?? I am still trying to figure it out. I feel this slight urge to blame facebook... I spend a lot of my online time there. Reading those one or two line status updates from friends that live near and far from me - and feeling connected. But that would not be fair. What has been going on in my life that I couldn't take the time to post here, and keep my few (and once faithful) readers up to date?

And the answer is.... NOTHING. I am lazy. I took the easy way out - figuring I talked with people that wanted to know about Matthew, and had facebook to keep anyone in touch with what they wanted to know about me. Heck, for the past almost 10 weeks, I haven't even been employed!! That is 10 weeks where I could have taken time to post something here... and not a peep out of me.

This morning was not a good one for me. I was hit with the proverbial straw which breaks the camels back. And it was such a stupid little straw. Once I managed to get through this morning, I decided it was time to come back. So here I am, ready to roll, and hoping to find a couple of faithful readers once again.